Michelle Obama directly addressed persistent rumors about her marriage during a new podcast interview, pushing back on speculation that her evolving independence means she and former President Barack Obama are headed for divorce. In a wide-ranging conversation on actress Sophia Bush's Work in Progress podcast, released Tuesday, the former first lady reflected on reclaiming her personal freedom after decades spent prioritizing her family and public responsibilities.
"It is whatever I want, Sophia, it's whatever I want," Michelle, 61, said when asked about her current lifestyle. "It's the first time in my life all of my choices are for me." She emphasized that since leaving the White House and becoming an empty nester, her decisions no longer revolve around the demands of being a mother or the wife of a U.S. president.
Michelle said she often used her role as a mother to Malia and Sasha, or her husband's position in office, as a reason to sidestep personal desires. "I have to make sure the girls are okay, or my husband's president, so I can't do that," she recalled thinking in the past. "Now, you know, I can't blame my decisions and indecisions on anyone other than me."
She acknowledged that this newfound agency, though empowering, has been met with public misinterpretation, fueling unfounded rumors about her marriage. "That's the thing that we as women struggle with - disappointing people," Michelle said. "So much so that this year people couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself. That they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing."
"This couldn't be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right?" she added. "But that's what society does to us. We start actually going, what am I? What am I doing? What am I doing this for? And if it doesn't fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible."
Michelle, who has spent recent years launching bestselling books, a production company, and most recently a podcast with her brother Craig Robinson, said her growth has been shaped by stepping into a space of personal ownership.
Barack Obama, 62, echoed sentiments about the challenges in their relationship during a separate appearance at Hamilton College on April 3. He said he was "in a deep deficit with my wife," he said, referring to time lost during his presidency. "So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things."
Michelle also shared that she and Barack spend time watching TV together, though their tastes often clash. "Barack and I we sometimes argue over what can we watch jointly because he likes death and darkness," she joked. "You know, you like the plots where everybody's sad and then they die."
Despite public scrutiny and the pressure of life after the White House, Michelle's candid remarks underscored her commitment to personal growth-and her marriage. "I think if I'm honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago," she said. "But I didn't give myself that freedom."
